The Greening of the Deserts

Global leaders will meet at the next UN climate change conference in Copenhagen.

Top of the agenda will be discussions around an agreement on international standards for fighting global warming.

Another key item on the agenda is trying to reach a better understanding of what’s happening to the world’s climate.

Many scenarios of global warming in Africa include more drought, floods, land degradation, epidemics and resource wars.

But some scientists and meteorologists now argue that some deserts – including the Sahara, one of the most arid areas on earth - could ultimately get greener and experience more rainfall.

Ayisha Yahya, a Tanzanian, explores the arguments in a three part series recorded on location in Mali, Namibia and Egypt.

Programme One:

While the world is discussing how to slow down global warming, satellite pictures of northern Africa show that areas lost to the Sahara desert during decades of drought are turning green again.

Is this due to increased rainfall or better farming methods?

And what are the implications for traditional nomadic desert communities such as the Tuareg of northern Mali?

click First broadcast on BBC Radio 4 on Wednesday 24 June 2009

First broadcast on BBC World Service on Wednesday 1 July 2009